YEP LETTERS: November 5

Let’s go back to basics with school discipline

B Duffy, by email

Now that we have, thankfully, been delivered from the EU through Brexit, further to Judith Harris’s letter (‘Let’s go back to being Imperial’, YEP Letters) I could never understand why we went decimal when the USA, the biggest trading market in the world, wasn’t decimal!

Perhaps now we can re-introduce corporal punishment back into schools. Anyone brought up in the 40s and 50s was probably taught in classes of up to 40 children with one teacher and without any teaching assistants.

There was none of the so called attention deficit nonsense, only well behaved children, or else, in class, all facing the blackboard.

None of the teachers were off with stress.

The teaching profession have brought the present state of affairs on itself with all these trendy, pupil friendly, teach yourself ideas and doing away with desks facing the front, as well as doing away with the cane.

We have brought up two generations with no discipline, respect for teachers or adults – all through lack of discipline.Why did we change a world renowned system in the ‘cool’ 60s? Let’s get back to basics and save at least this generation,before it’s too late.

Next we should be working towards capital punishment, after 50 years of ‘progress’.

Don’t be fooled by warmongers

John Appleyard, Liversedge

DefenCe Secretary Michael Fallon has announced that Britain will be ready to go to war with Russia within two years and he is supported by his colleague Philip Hammond, both of whom have never served military service.

But they are taking part in a desperate game of brinkmanship between the West and Russia, which if it took place would result in millions being killed.

Their behaviour is disgraceful and the British people should not be fooled by such war mongering.

Fashion has me in a black mood

Ian Kendall Wilson, Leader of the UK Yorkshire Socialist Alliance Party

As austerity bites across the land and thousands are homeless it becomes hard to witness Prime Minister Theresa May in what appears to be a permanent fashion shoot, often in the House of Commons, with heating on, in a very heavy leather trenchcoat – and then we have shoes that Imelda Marcos would have died for.

The point I am trying to make may be well worn but nevertheless true and it’s that it remains highly offensive to thousands of people who worry about survival to witness these despot displays of fashion.

As a token of my disgust I shall wear black with a touch of grey.

Sad that NSPCC is still needed

DS Boyes, LS13

MANY will share the concerns of Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves at the demise of the NSPCC office in Leeds, as that organisation does very good work and, like the Salvation Army, works quietly away, not seeking much publicity.

Older people will recall the Leeds office of the NSPCC was for many years on Oxford Place in central Leeds, up the side of the town hall just past Oxford Place Chapel.

I remember as a child about 1952 going to meet my mother from work on Great George Street looking at the NSPCC window display of black and white photographs of children in an appalling state, dressed in rags and covered in sores, which they had rescued.

Although conditions generally have improved since then, thank goodness, that the NSPCC is still needed today is a sad indictment of society.

Government has no remorse

R Kimble, Hawksworth

A reliable source indicates that Damian Green MP will not reverse changes to Universal Credit.

This source anticipates that some families will lose £1,000 a year. This from the government of May who stated that she will help those who are “just managing”.

Green is one of those MPs who was outed on social media for his expenses claims whilst supporting cuts to disability benefits.

I’ve said it once and I say again, this government consists of people who have no remorse for the pain they cause nor empathy for those they hurt. They are deeply hypocritical and callous.

Ruling is British democracy

Alan Slomson, LS6

Why have so many Brexiteers responded with hysteria to the High Court decision that Parliament should be involved in deciding the details of the arrangements for leaving the EU?

I had thought that a key reason for Brexit was to restore more power to British democracy.

The elected House of Commons and the rule of law are at the heart of British democracy and our political freedom.

But it is beginning to look as though some Brexiters are not in favour of Parliamentary democracy but would prefer instead an elected dictatorship which can make deals in 
secret, without consulting the people.

Put transport plans to vote

D Angood, by email

Reading the article in the YEP (November 2) regarding the development of Leeds city region and the South Bank, has anyone seen the opportunity within this development to introduce the concept of an overground/underground mass transit system?

The south of the city is lower in contour than the north, therefore the creation of such a scheme could start there.

Whilst any development in this area will create jobs, the need for people to reach those jobs will increase pro rata so there is a greater need for such a transport system to be either constructed simultaneously or be in place ready for that market.

Have any relevant or viable schemes been suggested during the recent consultation on transport?

We can be positive that some people have submitted superior schemes so let the public see those in their entirety.

The people can then vote on which they think will result 
in giving Leeds what it 
needs. When the allotted time has expired discard all but the five most popular and then debate the pros and cons of those.

The present situation allows people like Coun Lewis to decide what scheme is put forward for the council to vote upon and approve. Just how much of any decision is biased by party politics?

It is time, especially so after the recent debacles, to let the public decide and not have a decision thrust upon them (like a Super Cycle Highway). This could and should save time and money (remember the NGT enquiry) which would go towards a scheme that is wanted.

How many of the population have the confidence that the leaders of the council will be ambitious enough to sieze the initiative with such a development.

The city is crying out for improvements with regards to transport but it is the scale of such that either begets support or opposition, will a vote by the populace eliminate most of any opposition.

Is it possible that in the future we will see an either/or decision rather than a neither/nor?